Hemophobia is the fear of blood. According to MedicineNet.com, the word hemophobia stems from the Greek terms "haima," which means blood, and "phobos," which means fear. This fear becomes a phobia when the state of the fear becomes persistent and abnormal, resulting in extreme signs of excitement or anxiety when blood is present. While symptoms of hemophobia vary by individual, the most common symptoms include fainting, nausea, increased heart rate, anxiety attacks and excessive sweating. These symptoms are sometimes triggered when an individual sees, smells or touches blood.